Chapel Ensmad– Efficient Surveying of a Historic Building

USER STORY

CHAPEL ENSMAD – Efficient Surveying of a Historic Building

Contents

What’s It About??
The Subject – Ensmad Chapel
Data Collection & Hardware
Data Processing & Plan Creation
Data Export & Further Processing
Conclusion & Key Takeaways
Project Participants

What’s It About?

Daniel Bayha, a master’s student in Structural Engineering at the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, developed a digital workflow for his thesis to precisely document the historic Ensmad Chapel. His approach covered everything from the wooden barrel vault construction to the entire building condition – inside, outside, and within the roof space.

A key focus was not just the structural assessment of the timber construction, but also the creation of highly accurate deformation-based plans—a task that would have been nearly impossible with conventional manual measurement methods. To achieve this, modern laser scanning technologies were combined with specialized software solutions like PointCab Origins.

The Subject – Ensmad Chapel

Ensmad Chapel is a true cultural landmark and has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. Originally built in the Gothic style, it underwent a significant Baroque transformation around 1660 and has been lovingly maintained over the centuries, with the most recent renovation in the 1970s.

Today, the chapel shows visible structural damage that needed to be analyzed. Daniel’s goal was to document the current state of the building and create accurate plans to serve as a basis for future restoration efforts.

Data Collection & Hardware

Daniel opted for the FlexScan 22 platform from Z+F as the hardware for data acquisition. The platform is equipped with the IMAGER 5016 terrestrial laser scanner, which can be used both as a SLAM and as a static scanner. In addition, some details were measured manually to complement the data.

Scanning Duration: Approximately half a day on-site.

Challenges: Limited space, especially in the roof area. The FlexScan 22 had to be manually moved in this section, as it was not possible to walk through with a backpack scanner.

The combination of SLAM and terrestrial laser scanners brings together the best of both worlds:

SLAM scanners allow for quick and mobile real-time data capture – ideal for large or hard-to-reach areas.

Terrestrial laser scanners provide precise measurements and detailed imaging of key areas.

This approach enables the creation of an initial rough map using SLAM, which is then refined with the precise terrestrial scan data. The result? Time savings, increased efficiency, and a comprehensive and reliable data foundation tailored to the specific application.

However, in this case, certain details were additionally measured by hand.

Data Processing & Plan Creation

After data collection, erroneous points – such as those caused by passing individuals – were removed. This process took about a day and was conducted externally. The cleaned point cloud (in .E57 format) was then imported into PointCab Origins for further processing.
Using PointCab Origins, 2D sections (cross-sections, longitudinal sections, and top views) were generated from the 3D data. Daniel needed about a day to familiarize himself with the software, followed by approximately two days to create the sections.

With our YouTube tutorials and PDF guides on our website, Daniel was able to get started with Origins quickly and independently.

For those looking to become an Origins expert right away, we also offer a free demo session with our support specialists.

Data Export & Further Processing

The plans were exported as PDFs, which were then imported into Nemetschek Allplan. There, Daniel manually redrew the plans, achieving an accuracy of ±3 cm.

Alongside Allplan, Bluebeam Revu Extreme was also used for further PDF data processing.

Total Time Required: The final plan creation took about a week in total.

A faster workflow:
If Daniel had exported the plans directly as planar .dwg files – automatically aligned and scaled for Allplan – he could have skipped the PDF export step, saving significant time.

Good to know:
PointCab Origins is compatible with all major CAD programs and enables exports into their native formats. If you’re unsure about the best export option, our support team is always happy to help.

Conclusion & Key Takeaways

The Ensmad project impressively demonstrates how modern surveying technologies and specialized software solutions work together to digitally capture and prepare historic structures for restoration planning. Here are the key takeaways from the project:

1. Precision in Plan Creation:
By combining modern laser scanning technology with PointCab Origins, it was possible to generate an unlimited number of highly accurate plans that faithfully reflect the chapel’s deformations and details.

2. Time and Work Efficiency:
Despite some detours in the workflow, the project showed that complex surveying tasks can be completed efficiently with the right digital tools.

3. Optimization through Support:
If users encounter workflow obstacles, they should reach out to PointCab Support. Often, alternative export methods or workflow optimizations can be quickly implemented together.

Project Participants

This project was conducted by Daniel Bayha as part of his master’s thesis, “Surveying and Restoration of the Wooden Barrel Vault in Ensmad Chapel”.
University: Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences
Program: Structural Engineering
Academic Supervisor (HFT): Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roland Fink
Project Supervisor (LAD): Sabine Kuban

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

Then follow us on Social Media or subcribe to our newsletter!

Photogrammetric measurement and 3D model creation

USER STORY

MOSBURG IN WIESBACH – PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MEASUREMENT AND 3D MODEL CREATION

Contents

What it’s about?
The property – the Mosburg in Wiesbaden
Preparation, hardware and measurement
Data processing – creating meshes and point clouds in Metashape
Data processing and evaluation – Fast results with PointCab Origins
Conclusion

What it's about?

As part of a seminar paper at the RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, Frank Schirmer and Mobahil Ahmad Qamar investigated the extent to which photogrammetry can be used as a transformative tool in the preservation of existing structures.

To this end, a survey of the Mosburg in Wiesbaden was created, evaluated and processed using PointCab Origins, among other tools, to create a 3D model. We present their workflow and results here.

The property – the Mosburg in Wiesbaden

The Mosburg is a so-called artificial ruin and is located in the Biebricher Schlosspark in Wiesbaden. It can look back on a long history and was built from 1805 to 1806 on the foundations of a moated castle, which probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century. Among other things, it served as a residence, artist’s studio and local history museum.

After the Second World War, the artificial castle unfortunately became an actual ruin. The castle is currently not open to the public. Frank and Mobahil were also unable to enter the castle. However, restoration work has partially begun and is being coordinated by the Hessian Real Estate Management.

Preparation, hardware and measurement

In order to survey the Mosburg as quickly and accurately as possible, Frank and Mobahil began by making relatively simple sketches to determine the optimum viewpoints and heights for the images. The sketches were then expanded in an iterative process until a detailed survey plan was available.

This was followed by the selection of surveying equipment. Among other things, the team decided to use simple smartphone cameras to speed up the survey. In order to achieve the best possible result, care was also taken to carry out the survey on a cloudless day with low humidity. The following hardware was used:

DJI Mavic Mini UAV
Thanks to the DJI drone, the Mosburg could be photographed from different heights and perspectives. Even areas that were difficult to access, as well as the interior, could be captured better.
Sony A6000:
This camera was mainly used to capture the details of the rear supporting wall, which is particularly badly damaged. This enabled cracks, protrusions and fractures to be precisely documented.
Sony Xperia XQ-BT-52 & Xiaomi Redmi 12
With the two smartphone cameras, the remaining, better-preserved parts of the Mosburg could be captured quickly and efficiently.

The entire survey of the Mosburg took about 4 hours and was completed in 3 phases. In the first phase, the drone and the Sony camera were used to capture the rear supporting wall. In the second phase, the rest of the castle was photographed with the smartphones. Finally, the drone was sent back inside to take the remaining pictures. A total of over 600 images were taken.

To get the best possible results from a photogrammetric survey, you should pay particular attention to the following settings in advance:
– Shutter speed
– ISO (light sensitivity)
– Sufficient lighting or natural light

Data processing –
creating meshes and point clouds in MEtAshape

The images, which were taken with 4 different devices and 6 different cameras, have to be merged in the next step and converted into a mesh or point cloud. To achieve this, Frank and Mobahil decided to use Agisoft’s Metashape software. The process was completed in 6 steps:

Data import
When importing, the team creates a separate calibration group for each physical camera, as the smartphone cameras use different resolutions and focal lengths.
Alignment (registration) of the photos
Tie points, which represent overlaps in the individual photos, are used to “unite” all the photos into an overall image. The team identifies 4000 tie points using the highest possible resolution. The alignment is then further improved in an interactive process until an initial point cloud of tie points is created at the end.

Mesh creation
A mesh is now created in a further iterative process. Here too, the highest possible resolution is used first and scaled down step by step.
Create texture
Metashape creates the texture based on the meshes. The higher the selected resolution, the more accurate the geometry.
Create point cloud
Based on the results created in the previous steps and various other parameters, Metashape creates a complete point cloud in this final step.
Export
When exporting, it is important to choose the right format for further processing. Not all formats contain all the important information and not all software can read all formats. In this case, the team decided to export the point cloud in .obj/.pts format.

In a personal conversation, Frank tells us that he initially tried out various formats when exporting until he found a format that he could continue working with cleanly in Origins. This is a difficulty that we often hear about. There are simply so many formats that fulfill different purposes, and users are often unaware of the advantages and disadvantages.

If possible, we recommend exporting the point cloud as a .las file. The .las format has sufficient information content for most applications and is highly interchangeable. This means that the information can usually be transferred cleanly when exporting and switching from one software to another.

If you would like to find out more about point cloud formats, you are welcome to watch our webinar on the subject.

Data processing and evaluation –
Fast results with PointCab Origins

Once a point cloud has been generated from the photogrammetric images, results can now be produced that can be used as a planning basis for future restoration work.

To do so, the team imports the point cloud into PointCab Origins. The 3 standard views are created automatically, providing a quick overview and orientation.

Using the layout & section tool, they can create the layouts and sections they need for further processing with just a few clicks. Important information such as distances, area calculations or level deviations can already be extracted from these in Origins. This means that the floor plans already form a solid planning basis for a renovation.

The layouts are automatically exported by Origins as .dwg files and can thus be imported directly into CAD software, in this case BricsCAD, for 3D modeling.

The team also creates the vector lines from the floor plans using the semi-automatic vectorizer in Origins. These can be imported into BricsCAD in the same way as the floor plans, making it much easier to create a 3D model.

In addition to the quick creation of results from the point cloud, PointCab Origins offers another major advantage: simple visual inspection of the data quality.

The team simply created and compared a floor plan of the smartphone point cloud with that of the drone point cloud and was thus able to quickly recognize whether the most important structures could also be captured cleanly via the smartphone.

Although the team used PointCab Origins for the first time for this project and did not receive any training, the evaluation and creation of results with Origins only took about 2 hours.

In a personal conversation, Frank tells us that he was able to quickly find his way around the software, especially thanks to the intuitive display with the standard views.

Conclusion

The project work has shown that even simple smartphones have a place in the photogrammetric recording of buildings. Of course, high-resolution cameras also had to be used in this case in order to capture important details such as the rear supporting wall if it was to be accurately modeled afterwards. In addition, the interior of the castle could only be captured by drone flight, as the site was simply not accessible. Nevertheless, the parts of the building that did not require special attention could be captured with satisfactory data quality via smartphone. The comparison between the floor plans created in Origins shows this very well.

Accordingly, the project work shows that for certain use cases, such as the creation of a simple site plan, the use of smartphones is not only possible, but also makes a lot of sense due to the time saved during recording.

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

Then follow us on Social Media or subcribe to our newsletter!

Laser scanning technology helps preserve and repurpose a historic masonry building in Crete

Postgraduate students at the Technical University of Crete used a combination of a Trimble Laser Scanner, PointCab Origins Pro, and Autocad to obtain and document the exact geometry of a historic masonry structure with the purpose of its structural rehabilitation.

The island of Crete, Greece is known for its beautiful landscape and rich history. It’s the birthplace of the first European advanced civilization, the Minoans, and was shaped by the Mycenaeans, Romans, Osmans, and many more. The traces of these cultures can still be found all across the island in different archeological remains.

One of them is a two-century-old residential masonry, built during the Osman rule. It has been abandoned for the last 70 years and is the former residence of the wealthy Seimeni family. As one of the few remaining buildings of that type of local architecture in the region, it bears great historic value. In order to preserve and repurpose the building, exact documentation of its geometry was required, among other factors, in order to assess its structural integrity and the degree of necessary strengthening interventions. The building is planned to be restored in the next years and to be used as a local folk art museum.

Postgraduate student Eirini Chorianopoulou, supervised by Professors Maria Stavroulaki and Nikos Skoutelis decided to exploit the benefits of the latest laser scanning technology available. Since there were parts of the building that could not be approached and a distant measurement technique was needed, using simpler tools and techniques would not suffice. Therefore, an accurate digital representation of the building in its condition before the restoration could be captured.

This will give future visitors the chance to understand and compare the prior and current state and appreciate the work that will be done in order to preserve the authenticity of the structure after its restoration. With the purpose to obtain the geometric properties of the structure, the Trimble X7 3D laser scanner was employed. A number of 25 scans were used to generate the point cloud. All the data was imported as e57 format files and edited in PointCab Origins Pro. Accurate plans, sections, and elevations of the structure were created at all necessary levels and were exported as .dwg files for further editing in Autocad. Postgraduate researcher Evangelos Nitadorakis, responsible for handling the point cloud evaluation, found himself satisfied with the results that the use of PointCab’s Origins software provided:

“The accuracy of the generated sections allowed the identification and quantification of pathology indicators such as wall inclinations not visible with the human eye and remote measurements in parts of the structure that are not easily accessible. In addition, the delta analysis tool helped to distinguish even the slightest deviations in vertical levels. Furthermore, with a proper combination of all the data from Origins, an exact 3D model of the structure was created in a FEM analysis software and structural and dynamic analysis were conducted in order to assess the fragility of the structure under various loading cases. Employing PointCab Origins, we appreciated the easy handling, the speed of data processing, and the quality of the outcomes.”

3D laser scanning 3D measurement AutoCAD Heritage point clouds Trimble

As-built documentation of a planetarium

Using LIDAR technology for as-built documentation of a planetarium

Thanks to the use of laser scanning and PointCab Origins Pro, placing new projectors is no longer a problem

The precise placement of projectors in specially designed theatre rooms within planetariums is no easy task. Just measuring these rooms, which have sloping floors and domes, is a challenge. In addition, the measurement results and the design proposals derived from them must be communicated clearly and concisely to all project participants.

In the USA, the professionals from Seiler Instrument, more precisely Seiler’s Planetarium Division, are often called in for such jobs. Seiler employee Howard George used to use a combination of manual measurements and a total station for this task- a very time-consuming process. To speed up and simplify the process, laser scanning and PointCab’s point cloud software were therefore used for the first time.

The first step was to employ a handheld GeoSLAM ZEB Revo RT LiDAR scanner that creates 3D point clouds literally in minutes. Then the challenge was to efficiently extract the geometry and features to create BIM models of the spaces and better communicate the design intent to project stakeholders. To achieve this, Howard was provided with a trial version of PointCab 3D Pro (now Origins Pro). This is an easy-to-use point cloud editing and sharing software that was recommended by the Design Solutions team at Seiler. Howard comments, “In non-orthogonal areas like planetariums, PointCab allows me to freely tilt, rotate and magnify data points and orient perspectives. ” Thanks to the PointCab and Revit support, as well as online resources, Howard was able to start modelling from the point cloud within a few days, even as a novice, thanks to PointCab`s 4Revit plugin. This allowed him to simulate the placement of the projectors as-is and quickly create vectorised CAD schematics of the space and installation details. He was thrilled: “PointCab’s software exports 2D images of 3D spaces, but screen sharing the software via Zoom or simply forwarding my results with PointCab Share allows me to walk anyone through my process and show them whatever they want to see.”

Verschiedene Evaluationen in Origins Pro

The powerful combination of LiDAR scanning technology and PointCab Origins Pro has had a profound impact on the schedule and customer experience for these complex projector installations. Howard says: “I’m given metric spherical coordinates from ZEISS to place projectors in relation to the dome. In PointCab, I export Cartesian imperial coordinates to place the projector stands on the floor. Then the PointCab software exports 2D images of 3D spaces to me. Sharing data via PointCab Share (freeware) or screen sharing via Zoom allows me to share each step of the process with everyone and show in detail what is of interest.” In just one week, essential but very time-consuming tasks were thus radically reduced and changed for the better for everyone involved in the project. Once tested, the Seiler Planetarium Division would like to continue to rely on the combination of laser scanning and the PointCab software in the future.

3D laser scanning 3D measurement 4Revit Architecture CAD-Software construction as-built Revit

Conversion of a former mustard factory

From mustard factory to residential building

In this application, an existing old mustard factory was to be converted into a residential building. The two-story, U-shaped building contained various rooms full of production machinery, storage rooms and garages.

A digital survey of the property was imperative for highly accurate as-built plans. The specific task was to deliver floor plans and sections as CAD plans to the planning office cost-effectively and at short notice.

What exactly was it about? The purpose was the conversion of an existing old mustard factory. As is often the case, no current as-built plans were available. The complete acquisition of the object by means of 3D laser scanning, took 1/2 day. The result was 30 3D laser scans. Subsequently, floor plans and sections were created in PointCab Origins. Based on the evaluations created with PointCab Origins, the investment volume could be estimated. The duration of the data evaluation was only two hours. Subsequently, the floor plans were imported into the customer’s CAD system. This provided a data basis for preliminary planning, design planning and final planning. In addition, the data could be used as a visualization basis for the creation of the apartment exposé.

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Even the most extensive point cloud data can be evaluated easily and quickly with PointCab Origins.

Direct workflow to CAD software

The information from the evaluated point cloud data can be easily and quickly transferred to CAD software.

Proximity to support

PointCab’s support is characterized by comprehensive expertise and individual attention.

The duration of the data evaluation took only 2 hours, which really surprised me!

Staff Bouwsupport

Jun. 2013

About BouwSupport

BouwSupport began in 1996 as an independent company that grew out of an existing architectural firm. Pre-construction and construction processes are part of our core competencies. You as architect or client provide the design or specification drawings, we prepare the specifications and working drawings. In the further course we can also take care of the complete or partial construction coordination.

Archicad Architecture CAD-Software construction as-built

Acquisition of a high school

New construction and modernization of a high school on the west coast of England

For the new construction and modernization of Skegness Academy, a high school in Lincolnshire on the west coast of England, an accurate as-built model was required.

In order to obtain the exact dimensions of the high school, the FARO Photon 120 laser scanner was used, which can capture up to 990,000 points per second. With the help of reference points in the individual scans, they could later be merged. The scans were then used to generate a dimensionally accurate point cloud that provided an accurate 3D model of the building.

For the project, PointCab Origins was used to create elevations and sections, as well as detailed, dimensionally accurate images. This allowed various views of the high school to be generated and read into Autodesk Revit. A complete 3D model was then created with just the click of a button.

The FARO Photon 120 delivered 230 scans here. Images of the entire site and the building from the inside were taken. The views were imported into Autodesk Revit. From this data, a highly accurate 3D model of the building was created.
What advantage did PointCab Origins bring here? The fully automatic generation of views and sections. Likewise, accurate and true-to-scale images were used here. The further processing of the scan data in the CAD system was also possible without plug-ins thanks to PointCab Origins. This provided the optimal basis for modeling, visualization, processing and simulation.

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Even the most extensive point cloud data can be evaluated easily and quickly with PointCab Origins.

Direct workflow to Revit

The information of the evaluated point cloud data can be easily and quickly transferred to Revit.

Proximity to support

PointCab’s support is characterized by comprehensive expertise and individual attention.

We think PointCab Origins is the fastest way to extract plans and sections from point clouds.

Eric Bergholz

CEO Laserscanning Europe

Jun. 2013

About Laserscanning Europe GmbH

Laserscanning Europe is the leading system company for 3D laser scanning. As an independent and experienced partner, we can offer our customers the best project solution for their application.

By renting and selling laser scanning hardware, software and accessories, we provide our customers with the required tools for their projects. In our training courses, we share our know-how and many years of experience from various projects. On demand, we support our customers with data collection by means of 3D scanners, analysis of scan data and modeling.

https://www.laserscanning-europe.com

4Revit Architecture BIM construction as-built Faro

BIM model of a hotel in St. Moritz

From scan to BIM on the fly – HMQ scans luxury hotel in St. Moritz

The Hotel Sonne in St. Moritz is a popular destination for skiing and Welness vacationers. To prepare the hotel for the future, HMQ AG was commissioned to generate a comprehensive 3D building model of all interior spaces and the exterior facade. The 3D point cloud data was required for further processing in Graphisoft Archicad to create a complete BIM model.

Right from the start, the project included a major challenge: the acquisition of the hotel with laser scanners from FARO had to take place during the peak winter season and also during ongoing guest operations. The entire building therefore had to be captured as quickly as possible and without major disruption to guests. In the interior, a floor area of 1,100 m² had to be surveyed, distributed over three floors and a building height of approx. 10 meters. Outside, the work was no easier. The snow lying at the time of the project, which is why vacationers primarily traveled to St. Moritz, made the scans of the facade difficult.

HMQ, however, managed all challenges and had a huge amount of point cloud data from around 500 scans after only 72 hours. HMQ has been using Archicad 21 software to create BIM models for some time. To be able to use the point cloud data for processing in Archicad, HMQ uses PointCab Origins. More specifically, use the 4BIMm plugin, which allows the point clouds to be analyzed and the information seamlessly transferred into ArchiCAD. This reduced time for HMQ and, consequently, project costs. Putting all this together, the result was a relaxed project process for everyone involved. This can only be beneficial for a vacation hotel.

The basis for this is the uniquely fast processing of the most extensive point clouds in PointCab Origins. Ease of use was the main focus when Christian Vetsch, Managing Director at HMQ together with his team decided to use PointCab Origins three years ago. The great compatibility with all scanner types and makes made the decision even easier for HMQ.

“We chose PointCab Origins because the software is easy and intuitive to use and is constantly being developed,” says Christian Vetsch. If you ask HMQ employees, they also appreciate the uncomplicated proximity to PointCab support.

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Even the most extensive point cloud data can be evaluated easily and quickly with PointCab Origins.

Direct workflow to ArchiCAD

The information of the evaluated point cloud data can be easily and quickly transferred to Graphisoft ArchiCAD.

Proximity to support

PointCab’s support is characterized by comprehensive expertise and individual attention.

We chose PointCab Origins because the software is easy and intuitive to use and is constantly being developed

Christian Vetsch

Managing Director HMQ AG

Dez. 2018

About HMQ AG

HMQ AG, based in the cantons of Graubünden, Zurich and Aargau, is one of the leading Swiss engineering and planning companies.
The core competencies of the engineers, planners and consultants of the HMQ Group lie in the specialist areas of surveying, construction and planning. To ensure customer satisfaction as well as to offer employees an exciting work environment, HMQ AG builds on innovation, quality and technology.
To the HMQ AG website: http://hmq.ch/

4BIMm Archicad Architecture BIM construction as-built Faro Hotel

Art Graphique

Art Graphique et Patrimoire: digitally capture and document cultural sites

Art Graphique & Patrimoine was founded in 1994 out of a passion for sculpture and for the preservation of cultural heritage. Since then, AGP has managed many different projects that required traditional expertise as much as a progressive spirit of innovation. Over the years, AGP has accumulated more than 1500 prestigious references in France and abroad. Today, AGP is one of the leaders in France in the field of digital technologies for the acquisition and preservation of cultural heritage.

Art Graphique has used PointCab Origins to generate accurate othophotos from the extensive scan data of the buildings. You could see vivid examples of this just now in the video of Art Graphique et Patrimoine. Thanks to PointCab Origins it was possible to generate detailed orthophotos, regardless of the laser scanner file formats. Fast processing of very large and extensive point clouds is no problem thanks to PointCab Origins. All details are accurately captured and mapped. This creates a reliable basis for restorations and new components. In addition, Art Graphique creates impressive images through the versatile visualization options in PointCab Origins, which let the buildings shine in a new light.

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Even the most extensive point cloud data can be evaluated easily and quickly with PointCab Origins.

Detailed Otho photos

The information of the evaluated point cloud data can be easily and quickly generated into orthophotos.

Proximity to support

PointCab’s support is characterized by comprehensive expertise and individual attention.

Turning the extensive scan data into othophotos worked unprecedentedly well.

AGP

Nov. 2018

About Art Graphique et Patrimoine

Art Graphique & Patrimoine was founded in 1994 out of a passion for sculpture and for the preservation of cultural heritage. Since then, AGP has managed many different projects that required traditional expertise as much as an advanced spirit of innovation, and over time has accumulated more than 1500 prestigious references in France and abroad. Today, AGP is one of the leaders in France in the field of digital technologies for the acquisition and preservation of cultural heritage. https://www.artgp.fr/?lang=en

Art AutoCAD Craftsmanship Culture Orthophotos Restoration Revit

Measurement of a packing plant

Engineering company Kvejborg – Food industry

In a pilot project, the task was to measure two robot workstations in a large bakery during ongoing production. The existing robot tools were to be submerged in order to optimize the overall process. The bakery’s production runs in three shifts. A very fast recording method was needed to measure the packaging workstations, since stopping production involves high costs. The solution was to stop the robot cells individually for a short time. Some employees of the large bakery then manually stacked the fresh baked goods. The time required for the detailed measurement of the interior using a laser scanner was only 10 minutes per cell. This meant that there were no disruptive influences on the production process.

The subsequent data processing with PointCab Origins then generated the layouts, which were available to the plant planners the very next day. This is where the compatibility of PointCab Origins paid off. In contrast to a point cloud, the plans could be easily transferred to the CAD systems Solidworks and Inventor for further processing. Complex plants very often involve several different technical planners. PointCab Origins enables the planning office Kvejborg to make the generated planning basis available to all partners involved in the planning process simultaneously – without additional costs.

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Even the most extensive point cloud data can be evaluated easily and quickly with PointCab Origins.

Direct workflow to CAD software

The information of the evaluated point cloud data can be easily and quickly transferred to the CAD software.

Proximity to support

PointCab’s support is characterized by comprehensive expertise and individual attention.

With PointCab Origins, our customers can use the laser scanning results directly in Inventor.

Engineerringunternehmen Kvejorg

Jun. 2013

About Kvejborg

The Danish company Kvejborg is a Scandinavian design office in the plant engineering sector that is involved in the design of machines, tools and robot applications. Laser scanning technology is an integral part of the company and is used, among other things, as a design basis in special machine construction. https://kvejborg.dk/

CAD-Software Food industry Industrial Plants Inventor Solidworks web export

3D rendering of a historic commercial hall

Laserscanning Architecture uses PointCab Origins in AutoCAD Architecture

The company Laser Scanning Architecture used the FARO 3D laser scanner for the three-dimensional acquisition of a historic commercial hall. The 3D data created was evaluated using AutoCAD Architecture and PointCab Origins. The scan data was analyzed in both photo mode and pixel mode using FARO Scene software. In the model, analyses and geometric allowances were performed in colored panoramic views. Perspectives could be freely selected and partial areas of the model could be hidden as desired.

Using PointCab Origins, a 2D analysis was realized in AutoCAD Architecture. For this purpose, orthographic 2D views of the existing structure were created from any position in the model using PointCab Origins. This laid the foundation for efficient replanning. The advantages were: orthographic 2D images of the inventory, as well as freely selectable positions in the scan. The inventory could be quickly captured in detail (cornices, stone formats, etc.). The resulting highly accurate dimensioning, formed the basis for efficient redesign, including overdrawing of component edges. PointCab Origins results were used to create plans, elevations, sections and 3D BIM models. Images could be extracted from the point cloud. The client was able to quickly view and use the information thanks to the web export.

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Even the most extensive point cloud data can be evaluated easily and quickly with PointCab Origins.

Direct workflow to AutoCAD

The information of the evaluated point cloud data could be easily and quickly transferred to AutoCAD.

Proximity to support

PointCab’s support is characterized by comprehensive expertise and individual attention.

Fast point cloud evaluation with PointCab Origins and Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture.

Laser Scanning Architecture

Jun. 2013

About Laser Scanning Architecture

As a formerly classic architectural office, we specialized in 3D laser scanning in 2010. Since then, the demand has increased so much that we are now only active in 3D surveying. Managing director Johannes Rechenbach has a working experience of more than 30 years as a freelance architect and has been running his own architectural office in Hannover for 20 years.

During this time, we have learned many times that a thorough survey of the existing building is always the basis for a successful remodeling project. The precise laser scanning therefore offers the perfect basis for all projects of building in existing contexts. https://www.laser-scanning-architecture.com

Architecture AutoCAD BIM Faro Orthophotos Surveying

USER STORY

CHAPEL ENSMAD – Efficient Surveying of a Historic Building

What’s It About?

The Subject – Ensmad Chapel

Data Collection & Hardware

Data Processing & Plan Creation

Data Export & Further Processing

Conclusion & Key Takeaways

Project Participants

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

USER STORY

MOSBURG IN WIESBACH – PHOTOGRAMMETRIC MEASUREMENT AND 3D MODEL CREATION

What it's about?

The property – the Mosburg in Wiesbaden

Preparation, hardware and measurement

Data processing – creating meshes and point clouds in MEtAshape

Data processing and evaluation – Fast results with PointCab Origins

Conclusion

Want to keep up with the latest pointCab news?

Laser scanning technology helps preserve and repurpose a historic masonry building in Crete

Using LIDAR technology for as-built documentation of a planetarium

Thanks to the use of laser scanning and PointCab Origins Pro, placing new projectors is no longer a problem

From mustard factory to residential building

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Direct workflow to CAD software

Proximity to support

About BouwSupport

New construction and modernization of a high school on the west coast of England

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Direct workflow to Revit

Proximity to support

About Laserscanning Europe GmbH

From scan to BIM on the fly – HMQ scans luxury hotel in St. Moritz

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Direct workflow to ArchiCAD

Proximity to support

About HMQ AG

Art Graphique et Patrimoire: digitally capture and document cultural sites

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Detailed Otho photos

Proximity to support

About Art Graphique et Patrimoine

Engineering company Kvejborg – Food industry

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Direct workflow to CAD software

Proximity to support

About Kvejborg

Laserscanning Architecture uses PointCab Origins in AutoCAD Architecture

WHY POINTCAB ORIGINS?

Software Speed

Direct workflow to AutoCAD

Proximity to support

About Laser Scanning Architecture

GIVE US A CALL

VISIT US

GIVE US A CALL

VISIT US

Data processing –
creating meshes and point clouds in MEtAshape

Data processing and evaluation –
Fast results with PointCab Origins